Rough Living
Rough Living by Tokuda Shusei, published by University of Hawaii Press on February 28, 2001, is a literary work that presents the journey of Oshima, an ambitious young seamstress navigating life in Meiji Japan. Written in 1915, this edition captures the essence of social transformations during the early twentieth century through Oshima’s experiences, highlighting her entrepreneurial spirit and resilience in a rapidly changing society.
Readers will find a humorous yet poignant narrative that explores Oshima’s struggles against societal norms, including her rejection of arranged marriage and her defiance against the expectations placed upon women. The story chronicles her various relationships and business ventures, illustrating her determination to thrive despite numerous challenges. As Oshima adopts Western styles and promotes her tailoring business, the book delves into themes of capitalism and modernity, offering insights into the evolving structures of everyday life in Japan. This edition spans 192 pages and is presented in English.
Official synopsis Publisher
Humorous and poignant, Rough Living (Arakure) follows the fortunes of an ambitious young seamstress, Oshima, as she strives to survive and prosper in Meiji Japan. Written in 1915 by Tokuda Shusei (1872-1943), the great chronicler of Japan’s working class, Rough Living explores the social transformations the country underwent in the early twentieth century from the perspective of a young woman who personifies the hungry, entrepreneurial spirit of the times. Through Oshima’s eyes we see the formation of the structures of modern everyday life under capitalism as they evolved in Japan from the time of her birth in 1884 until the end of the novel, around 1910.
An unwanted child, Oshima is adopted by a prosperous family but runs away repeatedly after refusing an arranged marriage to a young man with “the feudal mentality of a slave.” Oshima endures a series of ineffectual husbands and lovers and failed business ventures but refuses to be the victim. She does not tolerate derogatory treatment by men and shocks the citizens of Tokyo by wearing Western-style dresses and riding a bicycle around the city to promote her tailoring business. Largely through her efforts, she and her common-law husband prosper, but in the end she relinquishes her hard-won success for a chance to start a new business with an attractive employee she hopes to seduce.
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